POLITICS

Gates sees Gulf support for Iran sanctions push Posted 15 minutes ago

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that leading Gulf states appeared ready to use their clout to lobby China to support sanctions against Iran over its disputed nuclear program. A day after meeting Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah in Riyadh, Gates traveled to the United Arab Emirates ...More

U.S. says it believes Mideast talks still on Posted 46 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it believed indirect Mideast peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians were still on, saying it had no confirmation that the Palestinians had decided to drop out. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley cast doubt over comments by Arab League chief Amr ...More

White House optimistic of passing financial reform Posted 1 hour, 29 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Thursday it was optimistic Congress would pass financial regulatory reform this year despite the collapse of Senate talks aimed at producing bipartisan legislation on the issue. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said he didn't believe lawmakers would want to face voters in ...More

Reid says will use "reconciliation" on healthcare Posted 1 hour, 39 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid formally notified Republicans on Thursday that he will attempt to pass the final changes to a healthcare overhaul through the budget process of reconciliation. The process, used in the past by Republicans, requires only a simple majority in the 100-member Senate, bypassing the ...More

Geithner will work with Dodd on financial reform Posted 3 hours ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Thursday praised Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd for his work on financial reform and pledged to work with him on a bid to overhaul banking rules. Geithner issued a statement not long after Dodd confirmed that a bipartisan Senate bid to craft ...More

Lockheed cost overruns to spark review: Pentagon Posted 3 hours, 42 minutes ago

U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates addresses U.S. troops at an undisclosed military base in Southwe

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 program, the Pentagon's biggest acquisition ever, is crashing through a cost-growth threshold that will spark a thorough review of the program, the Pentagon's chief weapons buyer told Congress on Thursday. Ashton Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, said the average price ...More

Obama presses China on currency in trade speech Posted 4 hours, 20 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama pressed China on Thursday to move to a "more market-oriented exchange rate" in a speech where he laid out a plan to boost U.S. exports in the coming years. "As I've said before, China moving to a more market-oriented exchange rate would make ...More

Cost of Lockheed's F-35 fighter soars Posted 4 hours, 34 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The average cost of Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Pentagon's costliest purchase ever, will be over 50 percent higher than projected when the program began nine years ago, the Pentagon's top arms buyer told Congress. The U.S. Air Force is about ...More

Gates in Abu Dhabi to discuss pressure on Iran Posted 6 hours, 31 minutes ago

ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Abu Dhabi Thursday looking to tighten pressure on Tehran, as Iran's president warned Gulf countries against allowing a U.S. presence in the region. A day after talks with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, aides said Gates would meet Abu ...More

Obama outlines strategy to boost exports Posted 9 hours, 46 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, anxious to spur growth and cut high unemployment, laid out a plan on Thursday to double U.S. exports through tougher enforcement of trade laws, increased government advocacy and more credit assistance for small and medium-sized companies. Obama also prodded China to move to a ...More

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